Introduction to American Sign Language Writing by Robert Arnold

[MyManOWarSmiles]

Hallo Bob, Wie geht es?

I think it's is a good idea, I left your classes just when you had barely started this journey, and I have one major question. Are you suggesting that the Deaf Community forgo learning how to read and write English and learn this instead, or learn them simultaneously?

Hoping you are well,

Me.

[spiderman13ful]

I checked and looked at it. I call this ... true language for the Deaf.

[BBarNavi]

P.S. It can also help the hearing community realize that ASL is not English. If they see a whole different script instead of English words, they'll conceptualize it as a foreign language - which it is!

[BBarNavi]

(cont'd) Now, personally, as a hearing person who grew up bilingual and bi-literate with English and Chinese, your script has helped me conceptualize and learn ASL much better. I'm already used to pictographic representations of concepts (上下日月 etc.) in my native script, so seeing pictographs of ASL was much easier for me to comprehend than English gloss. I support your mission 100%, and I absolutely wish you the best! (I must also commend your use of 人 as "person".)

[BBarNavi]

(cont'd) Now, I have noticed that most of your opponents in this comment section favor English writing only... yet their English is rather poor in the first place! That makes one wonder if they are in a position of authority to say their piece in the first place. It was the same case in medieval Korea: The elites favored Classical Chinese as the only acceptable writing system, but they weren't too good at it because it simply wasn't their native language. (Nor, for that matter, was it anyone's.)

[BBarNavi]

I've heard Sequoya mentioned. Does anyone here know who King Sejong is? He composed an alphabet that was largely featural (it represented sound articulation on paper) in order to solve the literacy problem in medieval Korea. It was faced with massive opposition from the elite literati, and it was even banned by his descendant! In the 19th century, Korea saw an intellectual revival that favored using this alphabet, which we now call Hangul. Now both Koreas enjoy near-perfect literacy rates (98%).

[BeautifulSilentWorld]

hi, im Ally, i go university DHH high school, nd i think this good because i hate try nd switch grammer and thnk what words go where when wrighting english. people read my work and thinking i am not eduacated because seeing my grammer is bad! i have come up with some written fingerspelling alphabets and i like the idea very much!

[MrKTJW5685]

To be honest,

We been studying English since per-school, and what is the point of us learning ASL written language? Also, I understand that this would benefit the deaf culture but remember, the land that we are standing is surrounded by English-speaking country.

But once again, ASL isn't written communication, it is visual communication.

[Russell5892]

@MrKTJW5685 In AD 450, English was not a written language. It was a spoken language. Most Anglo-Saxons and others though that a written form of English was ridiculous. In 1809, Cherokee was not a written language. There's no such thing as a written language.

All languages change with changing times and all languages are capable of being represented in secondary media.

If you want to see resources which show the cognitive benefits of written sign language, I'd be happy to give you the links.

[jproffer1]

If they've copyrighted the language, I would HIGHLY recommend that NOBODY USE IT! They will demand license fees from everyone.

[LeLadyEm]

You know, I never thought about it before, but I never saw it as a translation of going from ASL to English. I don't know why, but now that you mention it, it makes perfect sense. I really like this idea. Although it might not be something that I'll ever get (I have a degenerative hearing loss, by the time I finally am deaf, I think it might be easier to just put the english words to the signs. Maybe. I don't think I'll know until I get there though) but I still think this is a beautiful idea.

[1ThingHappened]

why is everyone so hostile about this idea i think it's great. Translating to and from english is ridiculous.

[EugenioRavelo]

MUY BUENOOOOOO, FELICITACIONES POR SU PRESPECTIVA! TUVE LA OPORTUNIDAD DE REALIZAR MI IDEA EN LA UNIVERSIDAD DE VALLADOLID, Y ESO ME HIZO PENSAR MAS. HASTA QUE TU MODO DE VER LAS COSAS NOS HACER CONSTRUIR UNA EDUCACIÓN MEJOR PARA EL SIGLO XXI. UN SALUDO.

[cnkatz]

Way to go. Let's keep the recently moving ball rolling. Make the incline of the ground steeper. I was mesmerized by the images around you and had to re-focus on what you were si5s-ing.

[BlueFlamesHD1]

look soo ridiculous stupid!!!! You Sound like RIP OFF!!! I was born deaf and ASL. English is very important THAN that stupid ASL writing!! You think the deaf communjity are dummy?? NO!! You have no respect!!

[dndmartin]

Hello Robert,

I was trained that ASL does not have written form and is a visual-spatial language. I am trying to be open minded with the new concept you raised si5s. Few questions...how do you show facial expressions, you make it look easy while it is chineese to many of us. What makes you think ASL Write is easier to publish thru books rather than video? We live in technological age and more and more documents are now on audio or video. How is ASL write better than sign write?

good luck

[ASLworldview]

Google Sequoyah and the Sequoyan Syllabary for the Cherokee Language and see how the Cherokee resisted it at first then they accepted it.

I forgot to put h in my previous comment and it should be Sequoyah

Keep up good work!

Ecnarb

[ASLworldview]

Here's the quote..

"Your invention of the alphabet is worth more to your people than two bags full of gold in the hands of every Cherokee." -Sam Houston (Sequoya)

:)

Ecnarb

[DragonessStomp]

Very interesting. 

[DrDonGCSUS]

I agree with your principles and rationale for writing ASL. Can be done, but there is a lot of resistance to the idea in our community.

[bearpax52]

i agree w u 100%

[Willowspinners]

Oh, by the way, I meant you should go and share your new idea to NASA's linguistics for Alien. Best of luck to you! ; ) ~ WS ~

[Willowspinners]

Very interesting new language. You should refer to NASA to study and meet Alien or Gods' one of accomodations. I know it's sound madness and it won't work for us in our global right away.

[ASLVisions]

ASL is based on Sightness. You stupid ass!